Minimalist 2-bedroom apartment combines beauty with utility

A minimalist, Nordic-style home with a soothing colour palate.

Who: A young couple and their cat

Home: 2-bedder apartment in the Eco Sanctuary

Size: 732sqf

Surrounded by nature parks and just a 30-minute drive from Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the Eco Sanctuary condominium is an idyllic spot for Eugene Lim and his girlfriend's first apartment together. The couple had wanted somewhere quiet and green, and their modern, two-bedder oasis is an extension of that.

The 732sqf space is clad in shades of green and blue, from the powder-blue laminates in the kitchen to the two-toned feature wall in the living room.

"It's a soothing colour combination, and not commonly used, too. Our interior designer, Joy Ouyang from Eightytwo, suggested the blackpainted ceiling for some depth and a cosy ambience," says Eugene, who added that renovations totalled up to $50,000.

This includes merging a spare bedroom with the living room and building a mezzanine that is currently occupied by the couple's pet cat, Tommy. It's also storage space for books and cleaning equipment. With fewer walls, the apartment is brighter and has a wider view of the green surroundings. Wooden finishes, brass accents, and pops of mustard - from the kitchen peninsula's geometric tiles - imbue warmth.

And if you're getting a cool, Nordic vibe from the apartment, it's because Eugene spent nine months in Sweden on an exchange programme, and was charmed by quintessential Nordic design elements like functionality and minimalism.

"My concept of a home was seeded there; I like it clean and functional. We shopped for similar-style furniture and accessories from the likes of Finnish Design Shop, Etsy, and Noden, a local Scandinavian furniture store," he says.

WHERE TO GO: Eightytwo, Tel: 6698-7987

This article was first published in Home & Decor.